Guest guest Posted June 6, 2004 Report Share Posted June 6, 2004 Hi, If you visit the following url, you will find an essay written by Professor Terence Meaden, all about Tara being Avebury's resident Goddess http://avebury-megalithos.net/religion.html#meaden Tara has been my own guiding light now, for quite a few years - consequently, I was astounded to read Terry's thesis about Tara at Avebury [neolithic circular temple (Kaula?), southwest uk], a location which has great meaning for me, going back almost a quarter of a century. I discovered Tara in Tibetan Buddhism, where she is considered as a saint or 'Bodhisattva'. In her green form, Tara is something like the patron saint of Tibet - that small, oppressed country on the northern side of the Himalayas from India: Tibet will one day be liberated, just as Avebury will be restored to us, ('historic ruin'). In India, Tara has a blue form, where she is a goddess in her own right; she also has a white form, Sita Tara {Sitara), known throughout Asia, and in variant forms, generally. Tara's name is very ancient - Sanskrit (mother tongue of Latin, for example), and very probably older still - having two basic meanings: (1) star; (2) transition or movement, especially in the context of water. There is a River Tara in the Balkans. I personally believe Tara to be the planet Venus, brightest 'star' in the heavens above the Asian subcontinent, but paternalistic Vedic culture has the male Shukra ('bright') named as that planet; in the more ancient Dravidian culture of southern India, Venus is still female. This puzzled me for a long time, until in something like a blinding flash of realisation, I understood that the icon of White or Sita Tara I have on my wall at home, was actually the Bright Star herself, Venus. The name remains, but Vedic mythology does not acknowledge her star. A similar name for the goddess exists in West Bengal, Shuktara 'Bright Star', and denotes Venus. Very recently I was 'thumbing' through some internet sources for the word 'sita', when I came across the following entry 'Sita, Zita, a furrow, the track or line of a ploughshare (also personified, and apparently once worshipped as a kind of goddess [in ancient India] resembling Pomona. Sita is invoked as presiding over agriculture or the fruits of the earth ... Sita, the Furrow ... whence her epithet Ayoni-ja, 'not-womb-born'...', surely an epithet of the Earth Goddess herself? http://www.wilsonsalmanac.com/images1/pomona.jpg The similarities here between the Goddess Sita, Sita Tara, Green Tara and Pomona are too evident to be coincidence. I have a folk tale from Tibet in which a young man marries the goddess of a green fir tree; whilst Green Tara is referred to as a 'Forest Goddess' by Dharmachari Purna, in the Western Buddhist Review. It is no accident that Tara's especial colour in Tibet is green - she is the Green Goddess, counterpart to the Green Man, (a popular figure in British folklore). http://www.erincurrierfineart.com/images/Dgreendakini.jpg More long-range evidence that Tara was the Green Lady / Earth Goddess at Avebury! With endless thanks to Terry for his inspired writing and theories - etc. Professor Meaden has published 'Secrets of the Avebury Stones' in which he sets forth his Tara thesis. I have seen the term "Om Ayoni-jaayai namah" in the context of Shri Durga, as well. Jai Ma! m6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 6, 2004 Report Share Posted June 6, 2004 If you see anyone quoting Barbara Walker as an information source (as Mr. Meaden does in his article), run away in the opposite direction! Walker is of the "if it sounds similar, it must be the same" school of research. She has quoted such silliness as, "The Hebrews also worshipped the goddess Tara, so their holy book is called the Torah;" or, "The Moslem sacred book is called the Koran, because originally they worshipped the Greek goddess Kore." Run away! Don't look back, just run! -- Len/ Kalipadma On Sun, 06 Jun 2004 04:55:03 -0000 "m6" <megalith6 writes: > Hi, > > If you visit the following url, you will find an essay written by > Professor Terence Meaden, all about Tara being Avebury's resident > Goddess > > http://avebury-megalithos.net/religion.html#meaden > > Tara has been my own guiding light now, for quite a few years - > consequently, I was astounded to read Terry's thesis about Tara at > Avebury [neolithic circular temple (Kaula?), southwest uk], a > location which has great meaning for me, going back > almost a quarter of a century. > > I discovered Tara in Tibetan Buddhism, where she is considered as a > saint or 'Bodhisattva'. In her green form, Tara is something like > the > patron saint of Tibet - that small, oppressed country on the > northern > side of the Himalayas from India: Tibet will one day be liberated, > just as Avebury will be restored to us, ('historic ruin'). > > In India, Tara has a blue form, where she is a goddess in her own > right; she also has a white form, Sita Tara {Sitara), known > throughout Asia, and in variant forms, generally. > > Tara's name is very ancient - Sanskrit (mother tongue of Latin, for > example), and very probably older still - having two basic meanings: > (1) star; (2) transition or movement, especially in the context of > water. There is a River Tara in the Balkans. > > I personally believe Tara to be the planet Venus, brightest 'star' > in > the heavens above the Asian subcontinent, but paternalistic Vedic > culture has the male Shukra ('bright') named as that planet; in the > more ancient Dravidian culture of southern India, Venus is still > female. > > This puzzled me for a long time, until in something like a blinding > flash of realisation, I understood that the icon of White or Sita > Tara I have on my wall at home, was actually the Bright Star > herself, > Venus. The name remains, but Vedic mythology does not acknowledge > her > star. A similar name for the goddess exists in West Bengal, Shuktara > 'Bright Star', and denotes Venus. > > Very recently I was 'thumbing' through some internet sources for the > word 'sita', when I came across the following entry > > 'Sita, Zita, a furrow, the track or line of a ploughshare (also > personified, and apparently once worshipped as a kind of goddess [in > ancient India] resembling Pomona. Sita is invoked as presiding over > agriculture or the fruits of the earth ... Sita, the Furrow ... > whence her epithet Ayoni-ja, 'not-womb-born'...', surely > an epithet of the Earth Goddess herself? > > http://www.wilsonsalmanac.com/images1/pomona.jpg > > The similarities here between the Goddess Sita, Sita Tara, Green > Tara > and Pomona are too evident to be coincidence. I have a folk tale > from > Tibet in which a young man marries the goddess of a green fir tree; > whilst Green Tara is referred to as a 'Forest Goddess' by > Dharmachari > Purna, in the Western Buddhist Review. It is no accident that Tara's > especial colour in Tibet is green - she is the Green Goddess, > counterpart to the Green Man, (a popular figure in British > folklore). > > http://www.erincurrierfineart.com/images/Dgreendakini.jpg > > More long-range evidence that Tara was the Green Lady / Earth > Goddess > at Avebury! > > With endless thanks to Terry for his inspired writing and theories - > > etc. > > Professor Meaden has published 'Secrets of the Avebury Stones' in > which he sets forth his Tara thesis. > > I have seen the term "Om Ayoni-jaayai namah" in the context of Shri > > Durga, as well. > > Jai Ma! > > m6 > > > > > ------------------------ Sponsor > --------------------~--> > Domains - Claim yours for only $14.70 > http://us.click./Z1wmxD/DREIAA/yQLSAA/XUWolB/TM > --~-> > > > > Links > > > > > > ______________ The best thing to hit the Internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! Surf the Web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 13, 2004 Report Share Posted June 13, 2004 Namaste, With regard to avoiding texts because we may not agree with their content, possibly a more constructive approach may be to offer critical, researched commentary on such content - outlining what exactly is objected to, and offering reasons and examples from alternative sources, illustrating criticisms? Notwithstanding, the merits or demerits of Ms Walker's scholarship have very little to do - if anything - with the content of the original posting. m6 , kalipadma@j... wrote: > > If you see anyone quoting Barbara Walker as an information source (as Mr. > Meaden does in his article), run away in the opposite direction! > > Walker is of the "if it sounds similar, it must be the same" school of > research. She has quoted such silliness as, "The Hebrews also worshipped > the goddess Tara, so their holy book is called the Torah;" or, "The > Moslem sacred book is called the Koran, because originally they > worshipped the Greek goddess Kore." > > Run away! Don't look back, just run! > > -- Len/ Kalipadma > > > > On Sun, 06 Jun 2004 04:55:03 -0000 "m6" <megalith6@h...> writes: > > Hi, > > > > If you visit the following url, you will find an essay written by > > Professor Terence Meaden, all about Tara being Avebury's resident > > Goddess > > > > http://avebury-megalithos.net/religion.html#meaden > > > > Tara has been my own guiding light now, for quite a few years - > > consequently, I was astounded to read Terry's thesis about Tara at > > Avebury [neolithic circular temple (Kaula?), southwest uk], a > > location which has great meaning for me, going back > > almost a quarter of a century. > > > > I discovered Tara in Tibetan Buddhism, where she is considered as a > > saint or 'Bodhisattva'. In her green form, Tara is something like > > the > > patron saint of Tibet - that small, oppressed country on the > > northern > > side of the Himalayas from India: Tibet will one day be liberated, > > just as Avebury will be restored to us, ('historic ruin'). > > > > In India, Tara has a blue form, where she is a goddess in her own > > right; she also has a white form, Sita Tara {Sitara), known > > throughout Asia, and in variant forms, generally. > > > > Tara's name is very ancient - Sanskrit (mother tongue of Latin, for > > example), and very probably older still - having two basic meanings: > > (1) star; (2) transition or movement, especially in the context of > > water. There is a River Tara in the Balkans. > > > > I personally believe Tara to be the planet Venus, brightest 'star' > > in > > the heavens above the Asian subcontinent, but paternalistic Vedic > > culture has the male Shukra ('bright') named as that planet; in the > > more ancient Dravidian culture of southern India, Venus is still > > female. > > > > This puzzled me for a long time, until in something like a blinding > > flash of realisation, I understood that the icon of White or Sita > > Tara I have on my wall at home, was actually the Bright Star > > herself, > > Venus. The name remains, but Vedic mythology does not acknowledge > > her > > star. A similar name for the goddess exists in West Bengal, Shuktara > > 'Bright Star', and denotes Venus. > > > > Very recently I was 'thumbing' through some internet sources for the > > word 'sita', when I came across the following entry > > > > 'Sita, Zita, a furrow, the track or line of a ploughshare (also > > personified, and apparently once worshipped as a kind of goddess [in > > ancient India] resembling Pomona. Sita is invoked as presiding over > > agriculture or the fruits of the earth ... Sita, the Furrow ... > > whence her epithet Ayoni-ja, 'not-womb-born'...', surely > > an epithet of the Earth Goddess herself? > > > > http://www.wilsonsalmanac.com/images1/pomona.jpg > > > > The similarities here between the Goddess Sita, Sita Tara, Green > > Tara > > and Pomona are too evident to be coincidence. I have a folk tale > > from > > Tibet in which a young man marries the goddess of a green fir tree; > > whilst Green Tara is referred to as a 'Forest Goddess' by > > Dharmachari > > Purna, in the Western Buddhist Review. It is no accident that Tara's > > especial colour in Tibet is green - she is the Green Goddess, > > counterpart to the Green Man, (a popular figure in British > > folklore). > > > > http://www.erincurrierfineart.com/images/Dgreendakini.jpg > > > > More long-range evidence that Tara was the Green Lady / Earth > > Goddess > > at Avebury! > > > > With endless thanks to Terry for his inspired writing and theories - > > > > etc. > > > > Professor Meaden has published 'Secrets of the Avebury Stones' in > > which he sets forth his Tara thesis. > > > > I have seen the term "Om Ayoni-jaayai namah" in the context of Shri > > > > Durga, as well. > > > > Jai Ma! > > > > m6 > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------ Sponsor > > --------------------~--> > > Domains - Claim yours for only $14.70 > > http://us.click./Z1wmxD/DREIAA/yQLSAA/XUWolB/TM > > --~-> > > > > > > > > > Links > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ______________ > The best thing to hit the Internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! > Surf the Web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! > Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today! 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